Pirates can’t complete comeback

August 16, 2014

WASHINGTON - Bryce Harper and Adam LaRoche each drove in two runs, leading the Washington Nationals over the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-4 Friday night for their fourth straight win.

Denard Span added three hits as the NL-East leading Nationals opened a 10-game homestand.

Tanner Roark (12-7) gave up three runs on five hits over 5 2-3 innings. He struck out four and walked two.

Article Photos

Associated PressAT?THE?PLATE — Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos attempts to make a play as Pirates runner Travis Snider is running towards home plate. Snider scored, but the Pirates fell to the Nationals in?Washington, 5-4, on Friday.

Rafael Soriano allowed three hits in the ninth, including Pedro Alvarez's RBI single, but held on for his 29th save.

Starling Marte hit a two-run homer and singled for the Pirates, who have lost three straight.

Charlie Morton (5-12) lasted just three innings in his shortest start of the season, allowing five runs on seven hits and three walks.

Fact Box

Nationals 5, Pirates 4

PittsburghABRHBIBBSOAvg.

J.Harrison ss500000.308

G.Polanco rf300011.257

R.Martin c400000.284

N.Walker 2b411000.277

S.Marte cf422201.263

Snider lf311011.259

I.Davis 1b201000.240

b-G.Sanchez ph-1b200000.224

P.Alvarez 3b402202.232

1-M.Martinez pr000000.135

Morton p100001.051

a-Nix ph100000.145

J.Gomez p0000001.000

Ju.Wilson p000000.000

d-Mercer ph100000.263

Watson p000000.333

Axford p000000--

f-C.Stewart ph101000.290

Totals3548426

WashingtonABRHBIBBSOAvg.

Span cf403000.303

A.Cabrera 2b321011.267

Rendon 3b221020.276

LaRoche 1b412201.275

Desmond ss301011.248

Harper lf402201.259

W.Ramos c401100.293

M.Taylor rf400003.143

Roark p200001.106

Blevins p000000--

c-Frandsen ph100000.232

Storen p000000--

Clippard p000000--

e-Hairston ph100001.224

R.Soriano p000000--

Totals32511549

Pittsburgh000300001-480

Washington30200000x-5110

a-grounded out for Morton in the 4th. b-grounded into a fielder's choice for I.Davis in the 6th. c-flied out for Blevins in the 6th. d-bunted out for Ju.Wilson in the 7th. e-struck out for Clippard in the 8th. f-singled for Axford in the 9th.

The first five Nationals hitters of the game reached base. Morton caught a break when Span was thrown out trying to steal third, but LaRoche's single made it 1-0.

With bases loaded, Harper fouled a 2-2 pitch off his right foot and needed a several moments to recover. He stepped in and eventually lined a 3-2 pitch to right-center field for a two-run single, making it 3-0.

Harper finished with two hits. Off to a slower-than-usual start this year, he homered twice this week during a three-game sweep of the Mets in New York.

LaRoche and Wilson Ramos singled home runs in the third to make it 5-0.

The Pirates got to Roark in the fourth. Neil Walker doubled and Marte connected for his sixth homer. Alvarez then doubled home a run with two outs to pull Pittsburgh within 5-3.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Pirates: RHP Stolmy Pimentel (right ankle sprain) was placed on the 15-day disabled list. ... SS Jordy Mercer, who left Thursday's game with right forearm tightness, wasn't in the lineup. Mercer, who had started 49 straight games, grounded out as a pinch-hitter. ... Walker, who had missed 11 of the last 12 games with back tightness, started and went 1 for 4.

Nationals: RF Jayson Werth (right shoulder) missed his fourth straight game. Manager Matt Williams said Werth was available to pinch-hit and could return to the lineup Saturday, or more likely Sunday. OF Nate McLouth (right shoulder inflammation) is going to get a second opinion on his ailing shoulder. "It's not responding as well as he'd like it to respond," Williams said.

UP NEXT

Pirates: LHP Jeff Locke (4-3, 3.98) makes his second career start against the Nationals. He allowed three earned runs in five innings of a no-decision on May 4, 2013, at PNC Park.

Nationals: LHP Gio Gonzalez (6-9, 4.00) is 2-0 with a 3.28 ERA in four career starts against the Pirates. His teams (Nationals 3-0, A's 1-0) are undefeated in those games.